Illinois politicians react to how the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on bump stocks could affect the state's assault weapons ban

CHICAGO (WLS) — A major ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the ban on high-volume stocks.

Local lawmakers are reacting to the ruling and what it could mean for Illinois' assault weapons ban.

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The High Court ruled that replacement stocks did not turn rifles into machine guns. The ban on bump stocks began under the Trump administration after a deadly shooting at a concert in Las Vegas.

READ MORE | US Supreme Court overturns Trump's ban on surrogate stocks and gun accessories used in 2017 massacre

In the ruling, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Congress can change the law to rewrite the definition of a machine gun, which could affect replacement stocks. President Biden is now calling on them.

In the deadly Las Vegas shooting that left 58 people dead and hundreds more injured, the shooter used a percussion stock, a rapid-fire weapon accessory that allowed him to fire more than 1,000 rounds.

The Supreme Court's decision Friday was hailed by gun rights groups as a victory for the 2nd Amendment, while gun control advocates decried it as a step in the wrong direction .

“I think this is going to spur action at the state level, as well as the federal level, to try to ban wholesale stocks again,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said. “Here in Illinois, we've already done that. We don't need to take action here to make up for what the Supreme Court has taken away from other states.”

Some are wondering what the high court's ruling could mean for Illinois' assault weapons ban, which was enacted after the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park two years ago. The law is being challenged in several federal lawsuits, and a former NRA lobbyist says Friday's ruling is encouraging.

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“Today they emphatically said that a semi-automatic rifle with a stock is not a machine gun in the federal sense,” said Todd Vandermyde, a former NRA lobbyist. “So how can a semi-automatic rifle without a stock be any closer to a machine gun? It's not possible.”

“I think it's a good indicator that once they make a decision in our favor, it will be found unconstitutional,” Republican state Rep. John Cabello said.

However, one of the architects of the assault weapons ban is confident it will stand.

“Those who are looking for hope and trying to repeal this law that has already saved countless lives in Illinois,” said Democratic state Rep. Bob Morgan. “I think they should remain hopeful, but I wouldn't be too optimistic. I think this law is going to stay on the books in Illinois, and it's going to stay on the books and withstand any review by the United States Supreme Court- United.”

Gun rights and gun control advocates will be closely watching the Supreme Court next week to see whether the justices will take up the challenge to Illinois' assault weapons ban. or allow cases to be tried from September.